TENS of thousands of people attended a protest against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as it held its national convention in the eastern city of Erfurt on Saturday.

Some 31,000 people attended the anti-fascist protests, the police said.

Lena Raupach, spokesperson for Widersetzen, an anti-fascist alliance whose name translates to “Resist,” said the group had hoped to block the convention.

“The AfD pursues fascist policies: it wants mass deportations and terror on the streets. At the same time, however, it doesn’t solve a single real problem,” she said.

“It pursues policies that benefit the rich, not ordinary citizens. And we at Widersetzen want a society in which all people have equal opportunities and equal security. We want a society based on solidarity.”

Inside the far-right party’s conference, AfD members voted overwhelmingly to extend the terms of its leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, who have headed it for four years as co-leaders and ran unopposed.

Ms Weidel was re-elected with 81 per cent of the vote, while Mr Chrupalla earned 70 per cent.

The weekend convention drew additional controversy by coinciding with the 100th anniversary of a Nazi Party meeting held nearby that consolidated Adolf Hitler’s power over the fascist movement.

Historians and political opponents say the timing carries powerful symbolism, an accusation the AfD rejects.

AfD achieved second place in the February 2025 national election with 20.8 per cent of the vote, the best showing by a far-right party since World War II.

The party is capitalising on the unpopularity of a neoliberal government that is busy slashing workers’ and renters’ rights, ostensibly in an attempt to reform its economy.

AfD hopes to win 40 per cent or more of the vote in a September 6 state election in the eastern region of Saxony-Anhalt.

“We will win. Maybe we’ll be able to govern alone soon,” Mr Chrupalla said. “That would send the right message to the enemies of democracy out there who wanted to prevent our party convention from taking place.”